Unconstitutional actions

Gary Crooks (“Critics fire before aiming,” Jan. 27) needs to read again Article 1, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution. It says “All legislative power (lawmaking) herein granted shall be vested in a Congress.” The president’s executive power is defined in Article 2 and does not include lawmaking or undermining the Bill of Rights. Constitutionally, executive orders are concerned solely with administration of the internal matters of the executive departments.

In 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional an executive order of President Harry Truman. The court said, “In the framework of our Constitution, the President’s power to see that the laws are faithfully executed refutes the idea that he is to be a lawmaker.”

All of Gary Crooks’ examples of President Barack Obama’s executive actions on guns infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms and are unconstitutional.

Crooks is right that we need to read the Constitution and also hold the president, Congress and even sheriffs accountable to preserve, protect and defend it.

Steve Dunham

Spokane